response 36 of 46:

Jan 30 02:35 UTC 2004

Most states don't want you to sleep in rest areas -- probably for
various reasons like pressure from the motel industry, concern about
drug dealers, the homeless, and other "undesirables", etc.  Basically,
this means you can't stay the night, and you can't set up a tent or
otherwise make yourself at home.  I don't know of any state that forbids
getting a "nap" - the simplest solution I've found is to park away from
the busy part, put the front seat all the way down, and use a blanket,
pillow, etc., to make myself a bit more comfortable.  It should in
theory be possible to sleep 1 hour and drive 2 hours indefinitely,
albeit not much fun.

People on motorcycles have a few more options, mostly due to the
motorcycle being smaller and easier to hide, but also because of the
clothing and such.  For instance, anything that's good at 70 mph is
generally also going to keep you warm while you sleep under the far back
picnic table, and most bugs can't bite through it either.  The
motorcycle itself can be rolled off the pavement and out of sight.

The opposite extreme seems to be motorhomes.  There's a whole culture of
people who've retired, sold their house, bought a motorhome, and live in
it year around, up north in the summer, down south in the winter.